Fan control device for energy saving

ABSTRACT

A fan control device for energy saving in a refrigerator is provided. The fan control device comprises an evaporator fan, an evaporator thermometer, and an evaporator fan controller. The evaporator fan is configured for circulating air around the evaporator and across the storage space. The evaporator thermometer is disposed in a vicinity of the evaporator, configured for detecting temperature of the evaporator, and outputting the temperature of the evaporator. The evaporator fan controller is configured for receiving the temperature of the evaporator and controlling the evaporator fan based on the temperature of the evaporator. The evaporator fan controller is configured to control the evaporator fan to stop operation when the compressor starts operation. The evaporator fan controller is configured to control the evaporator fan to start operation when the temperature of the evaporator falls below a first predetermined value.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fan control device. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a fan control device for energysaving in a refrigerator.

A refrigerator cools down the temperature of a storage space. Sincecooling is very energy-consuming process, it gets important to conserveas more energy as possible. Furthermore, with more pressure fromregulation authorities, the demand for energy-saving or energy-efficientrefrigerators gets higher and higher.

Conventionally, an evaporator fan and associated fan motor are providedin the refrigerator for circulating air in the storage space of therefrigerator and delivering more heat to the evaporator for cooling.

However, the evaporator fan itself generates its own heat through theoperation. Recently, electronically communicated (EC) motors have beenused for the evaporator fan motor, which reduced its own heat. Theproblem is that even though the EC motors generate less heat, if thethey operate for a long time in uncontrolled manner, the energyconsumption cannot be allowable, either. Therefore, it could not be aperfect solution for the problems.

Accordingly, a need for a more efficient and more fan control device forenergy saving in refrigerators has been present for a long timeconsidering the tendency of growing in capacity of refrigerator. Thisinvention is directed to solve these problems and satisfy the long-feltneed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the priorart.

An object of the invention is to provide a fan control device for arefrigerator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fan control device forenergy saving.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fan controldevice, in which the operation of the evaporator fan motor is controlledefficiently according to some temperatures in the storage space aroundthe evaporator.

An aspect of the invention provides a fan control device for energysaving in a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a storage space thatis cooled by refrigerant flowing through an evaporator, a compressor,and a condenser.

The fan control device comprises an evaporator fan, an evaporatorthermometer, and an evaporator fan controller.

The evaporator fan is configured for circulating air around theevaporator and across the storage space.

The evaporator thermometer is disposed in a vicinity of the evaporator,configured for detecting temperature of the evaporator, and outputtingthe temperature of the evaporator.

The evaporator fan controller is configured for receiving thetemperature of the evaporator and controlling the evaporator fan basedon the temperature of the evaporator.

The evaporator fan controller is configured to control the evaporatorfan to stop operation when the compressor starts operation.

The evaporator fan controller is configured to control the evaporatorfan to start operation when the temperature of the evaporator fallsbelow a first predetermined value.

The fan control device may further comprise a compressor controllerconfigured for controlling the compressor to start when temperature inthe storage space goes up beyond a second predetermined value.

The compressor controller may be configured for controlling thecompressor to stop when temperature in the storage space falls downbelow a third predetermined value.

The third predetermined value may be lower than the second predeterminedvalue.

The third predetermined value may be substantially same as the firstpredetermined value.

The evaporator fan controller may be further configured to control theevaporator fan to stop operation when a door to the storage space isopened.

The fan control device may further comprise an evaporator fan motorconfigured for driving the evaporator.

The evaporator fan controller may be configured to control theevaporator fan by controlling the evaporator fan motor.

The evaporator fan controller may be configured to control theevaporator fan motor to stop operation while the compressor is inoperation.

The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the fan control deviceincreases the efficiency of the refrigerator; (2) the fan control deviceprovides optimization of the evaporator fan motor.

Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fullerunderstanding of the invention can be obtained by the followingdrawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a refrigerator; and

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a fan control device according to anembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the invention provides a fan control device for energysaving in a refrigerator.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a refrigerator 900, and FIG. 2 isa block diagram showing a fan control device 100 according to anembodiment of the invention.

The refrigerator 900 includes a storage space 91 that is cooled byrefrigerant flowing through an evaporator 92, a compressor 94, and acondenser 96 as shown in FIG. 1.

According an embodiment of the invention, the fan control device 100comprises an evaporator fan 10, an evaporator thermometer 20, and anevaporator fan controller 30. Even though the evaporator fan controller30 is not connected directly to the evaporator fan 10 in FIG. 1, incertain embodiments of the invention, the evaporator fan controller 30may be connected directly to the evaporator fan 10 without anythinginbetween. In such a case, of course, the evaporator fan 10 is providedwith a sort of operational means embedded.

The evaporator fan 10 is configured for circulating air around theevaporator 92 and across the storage space 91, so that warm or hot airin any portion of the storage space 91 can be delivered near to theevaporator 92 and cooled down.

The evaporator thermometer 20 is disposed in a vicinity of theevaporator 92, configured for detecting temperature of the evaporator92, and outputting the temperature of the evaporator 92. In certainembodiments of the invention, a plurality of evaporator thermometers 20may be provided at a plurality of different locations according to theirdistances to the evaporator 10 and directions in the store space 91.Also, each of the evaporator thermometer 20 may be a remote-typetemperature detecting device and in such cases can be even away from theevaporator 92. The readings from the evaporator thermometer 20 may becollected and analyzed by the evaporator fan controller 30 in order tooptimize energy savings.

The evaporator fan controller 30 is configured for receiving thetemperature of the evaporator 92 and controlling the evaporator fan 10based on the temperature of the evaporator 92. As shown in FIG. 2, theevaporator thermometers 20 may be connected by wire or wireless means asindicated by “A”.

The evaporator fan controller 30 is configured to control the evaporatorfan 10 to stop operation when the compressor 94 starts operation.

The evaporator fan controller 30 is configured to control the evaporatorfan 10 to start operation when the temperature of the evaporator 92falls below a first predetermined value.

The fan control device 100 may further comprise a compressor controller40 configured for controlling the compressor 94 to start whentemperature in the storage space 91 goes up beyond a secondpredetermined value.

The compressor controller 40 may be configured for controlling thecompressor 94 to stop when temperature in the storage space 91 fallsdown below a third predetermined value.

The third predetermined value may be lower than the second predeterminedvalue.

The third predetermined value may be substantially same as the firstpredetermined value.

The evaporator fan controller 30 may be further configured to controlthe evaporator fan 10 to stop operation when a door (not shown) to thestorage space 91 is opened. The reason is that when the door is openedthe internal air can be mixed with the external air and the loss of coldair is unavoidable. Therefore, the operation of the evaporator 92 isstopped so as not to waste energy for that matter.

The fan control device 100 may further comprise an evaporator fan motor50 configured for driving the evaporator 92 as shown in FIG. 2. Theevaporator fan motor 50 may be installed anywhere with respect to therefrigerator 900, inside or outside.

The evaporator fan controller 30 may be configured to control theevaporator fan 10 by controlling the evaporator fan motor 50.

The evaporator fan controller 30 may be configured to control theevaporator fan motor 50 to stop operation while the compressor 94 is inoperation.

All of the complicated ON/OFFs are for optimizing the energy saving inthe refrigerator 900.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference todifferent embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilledin the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operationmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined by the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan control device for energy saving in arefrigerator, wherein the refrigerator includes a storage space that iscooled by refrigerant flowing through an evaporator, a compressor, and acondenser, the fan control device comprising: an evaporator fanconfigured for circulating air around the evaporator and across thestorage space; an evaporator thermometer disposed in a vicinity of theevaporator, configured for detecting temperature of the evaporator, andoutputting the temperature of the evaporator; and an evaporator fancontroller configured for receiving the temperature of the evaporatorand controlling the evaporator fan based on the temperature of theevaporator, wherein the evaporator fan controller is configured tocontrol the evaporator fan to stop operation when the compressor startsoperation, and wherein the evaporator fan controller is configured tocontrol the evaporator fan to start operation when the temperature ofthe evaporator falls below a first predetermined value.
 2. The fancontrol device of claim 1, further comprises a compressor controllerconfigured for controlling the compressor to start when temperature inthe storage space goes up beyond a second predetermined value.
 3. Thefan control device of claim 2, wherein the compressor controller isconfigured for controlling the compressor to stop when temperature inthe storage space falls down below a third predetermined value.
 4. Thefan control device of claim 3, wherein the third predetermined value islower than the second predetermined value.
 5. The fan control device ofclaim 4, wherein the third predetermined value is substantially same asthe first predetermined value.
 7. The fan control device of claim 1,wherein the evaporator fan controller is further configured to controlthe evaporator fan to stop operation when a door to the storage space isopened.
 8. The fan control device of claim 1, further comprising anevaporator fan motor configured for driving the evaporator.
 9. The fancontrol device of claim 8, wherein the evaporator fan controller isconfigured to control the evaporator fan by controlling the evaporatorfan motor.
 10. The fan control device of claim 9, wherein the evaporatorfan controller is configured to control the evaporator fan motor to stopoperation while the compressor is in operation.